5 Best Leather Sewing Machines in Jan 2023 (Buyer’s Guide & Reviews)

If you’re on the hunt for the best leather sewing machine, let us clearly state that leather is a complex material to deal with, so you should not get any ordinary sewing machine for the job. However, the leather itself is so durable that the time and energy needed to find the best sewing machine are good enough to justify it! You’ll need special skills to be ready to make items since it is so difficult!

Although many artisans sew leather manually or with a conventional sewing machine, unless you would like to deal with leather constantly, you might consider investing in a leather sewing machine. So, only for you, we’ve created a selection of the best leather sewing machines in 2023!

5 Best Leather Sewing Machines Recommended:

(Check out these 5 recommended products or scroll ahead to read our in-depth reviews)

Best Value: Brother ST371HD Sewing Machine

If you want a reasonably priced sewing machine that can effortlessly work on leather, look no further than Brother ST371HD sewing machine. This sewing machine is flawlessly designed for heavy-duty sewing tasks. Designed with flexibility and durability in mind, this machine is ideal for sewing and repairing everything from dense fabrics to lightweight silks.

With a metal needle plate, it offers smoother fabric feeding. And with its three different heavyweight needles, you can seamlessly work on all types of fabrics. Apart from working on leather, you can also use its 37 utility and decorative stitches.

The Brother ST371HD includes six sewing feet to let you do blind hems, stretched stitches, buttonholes, zip inserts, and more. Another great feature that makes it best for leather is its drop feed feature, which lets you quickly perform free-motion sewing.

This heavy-duty sewing machine encompasses a built-in needle threader, a jam-resistant top-load bobbin, an automatic bobbin winder, and a free arm for narrow sewing objects. Needles come in various sizes, including No. 16 for strong textiles like jeans, duck cloth, canvases, jute, and leather. No. 14 is suitable for numerous thicknesses, whereas No. 11 is suitable for light materials and general sewing. A double needle will be provided to you as well.

Choosing your stitches is a breeze with the Stitch Selector function. You only need to rotate the dial on the side to the appropriate number written below the slider, together with the stitching patterns.

Pros and Cons

Best Versatile: Janome HD3000 Heavy-Duty Sewing Machine

Whenever it pertains to solid sewing machines, Janome is a trusted brand. It is, in reality, an ideal machine that can be utilized for domestic and industrial applications. Although  It is commonly used to stitch cotton, silk, Lycra, and jeans, it can also sew medium to lightweight leather.

This mechanical machine, built for both sturdiness and versatility, is easy to use and intuitive to do modest projects yet also meets expert requirements. The stitches are precise, and the workmanship is of excellent quality.

The Janome HD3000 sewing machine is made of a single-piece metal cast for added strength. And its Snap-on presser feet offer stitching versatility. The rolled hemline, blind stitching, zip, over-edge, and button foot are all covered by the presser foot.

It also offers a free arm that you can use simply by moving the storage box out of the way. Moreover, your device will be enclosed in a durable hardcover to guarantee that it receives the least amount of wear and tear possible. Furthermore, it includes a complete rotating hook bobbin system that prevents jamming.

A box of bobbins, standard needles, two sets of leather needles, a spool holder, and other accessories are included. It also includes a built-in storage area near the bobbin catcher for all your supplies. You have the option of trying out 18 stitches. The 7-piece feed dog ensures precise fabric management, while the single-hand thread-cutting tool is easy to operate.

Pros and Cons

Best Computerized: SINGER 9960 Sewing & Quilting Machine

One of the most popular leather sewing machine is SINGER Quantum Stylist 9960. It has a perfectly soft material feed, powerful feed dogs, and an extendable table that comes in helpful when working on more significant projects. It’s a suitable machine that can automate your sewing process.

The machine has a medium footprint since its measurements are 17.2 x 8.2 x 12 inches and it weighs 20 pounds. Moreover, it comes with 600 built-in stitches and is jam-packed with functionality. And with its heavy-duty metal internal structure, it provides strong support while working. Furthermore, this machine is equipped with 2 lamps for increased lighting.

With the automatic needle threader, you can save a lot of time, while the top-loading bobbin allows you to keep an eye on things through the glass cover. This model has 13 completely automated buttonhole designs and an innovative buttonhole under-plate.

This machine’s patterns can be swelled up to 7mm for beautiful and artistic stitching. In addition to manually adjusting the stitch length and width, you may also program automatic stitches to be the perfect length and width. And yes, you can use a free arm to easily reach parts such as cuffs and pant hemlines. It also has an autopilot mode that allows you to manage the speed while the foot control is unplugged. 

Pros and Cons

Best For Industrial Use: Sailrite Heavy-Duty LSZ-1 Plus Walking Foot Sewing Machine

The one and only industrial leather sewing machine in the selection are the Sailrite Heavy-Duty Ultrafeed LSZ-1. It’s undoubtedly pricey; however, it’s hard to match for heavy-duty fabrics.

In addition, the Ultrafeed LSZ-1 Sewing Machine is a high-performance sewing machine that can sew regular and zigzag stitches. The Ultrafeed cuts up into heavy materials, including sailcloth, thick tarpaulin, jeans, and upholstered textiles, and it’s also adaptable enough to stitch into softer home textiles.

Indeed, this isn’t your device if you want to play along at your residence. It’s designed for experienced, even skilled, sewers who require a device that can tackle leather and other heavy-duty materials at fast rates while not burning a beat.

Its most notable element is the revolutionary Posi-Pin grasping system, which brings all other feeding dogs to disgrace! Furthermore, it has a good hold on the fabric and enables firm, uniform, and smooth sewing. The Sailrite LSZ-1 includes a more excellent presser foot and a vast rise for sewing thicker materials — it can stitch up to ten folds of heavy canvases!

Moreover, for harmonious stitching, an extra 19mm zigzag mechanical walking presser foot works with the feed dog to pull heavy layers of cloth into the operation at steady speeds. When shifting from forward to backward stitching, the EZ Set Stitch Length Plate assists in maintaining stitch length uniform.

Pros and Cons

Best Value: SINGER 4423 Heavy-Duty Sewing Machine

The SINGER 4423 is a low-cost, long-lasting solution for hobbyists and professionals. SINGER 4423 measures 15.5 x 6.25 x 12 inches and weighs 14.5 pounds, making it easy to maneuver. It also contains basic, ornamental, stretchy, and buttonhole stitches option among the 23 built-in patterns.

While this machine is handy for general sewing, it also has additional leather stitching supplies. The specialty even-feed walking presser feet are great for this since they are beneficial in dealing with genuine leather, which is more costly than synthetic leather.

This is primarily due to the walking foot’s unique feed dog, which operates in tandem with the machine’s standard feed dog. They work together to maintain a good hold on the leather, leading to precise seaming.`

Moreover, it also has a top drop-in bobbin system that is simple to feed and extra high presser feet that help work on multi-layers of fabric. With its automated needle threader, you can insert the needle’s eye without straining your eyes or stopping.

Another notable aspect is the sewing speed, 1,100 SPM in this situation, allowing projects to be completed faster. The engine is 60% more powerful, allowing for increased piercing strength, which is required for thicker stitches.

This device has a heavy-duty metal internal structure and a stainless steel bed plate, which mirrors the sturdiness and construction of the SINGER 4423 heavy-duty sewing machine. As a result, it can sew through a wide range of thick materials.

Pros and Cons

How Should I Sew Leather?

Chiffon is soft, nylon flexes, and leather and suede leather each have unique sewing characteristics that must be considered.

Some leathers are referred to as “sticky,” which means that when a sewing foot is used to secure the cloth, the leather may cling to the foot. If you don’t take proper care, it will result in irregular sewing.

Additionally, you must be careful when sewing leather because, unlike other textiles, a puncture in leather is impossible to cover up.

Acquiring a sewing machine made for this leather is essential because you can’t apply pins to keep the cloth in place owing to its demanding structure as a hefty fabric unless you want those perforations to be an element of your creation.

Can I Sew Leather With My Ordinary Sewing Machine?

If your equipment isn’t working well and you don’t wish to spend cash for a professional leather sewing machine, the following accessories can help you have a better entire experience.

Sturdier Feed Dogs

What can you do when leather sticks to your device’s presser foot and makes it harder to move the material, and you require the foot to hold it down?

The feed dogs, which are the element that maintains your textile in place as you stitch, are made to lightly press your cloth so that the stitching needle will do its work.

Your equipment will be well equipped to direct the suede as you sew if the feed dogs are sturdier.

Durable Sewing Needle

A leather sewing needle is a necessity whenever you sew leather. These are simple and inexpensive to purchase online and will suit most all-purpose sewing machines. However, when you are buying, make sure to confirm interoperability with your particular device.

If you use the improper stitching needle, your material will likely have big, ugly rips, or even the needle may break.

The piercing tip of leather needles is made for puncturing through the resilient leather threads without wearing out too rapidly.

A dirty needle can begin to miss stitches, ruining your work. Thus, it is crucial to do it correctly.

Variable Stitch Length

Although you may not believe it makes much of a contribution, having the option to modify the stitch length on your sewing machine is essential when working with leather.

To pierce the more demanding leather threads while not leaving large perforations, a short stitch length (about 2mm) is preferable.

A too-long stitch will show the gaps and undermine the project’s integrity.

Special Feet

Your creations will seem cleaner and more polished if you get a dedicated presser foot for suede. There are multiple presser feet accessible for various uses, like stitching leather. 

The Teflon or rolling foot is one kind of specialty sewing foot. This style of presser foot has a slick coating (often Teflon) that makes it easier for the cloth to pass beneath the needle without becoming stuck.

The walking foot, which has additional feed dogs to assist in moving heavier textiles such as leather, is yet another valuable form of the presser foot.

Thread With Wax

When sewing leather, you must typically use waxed thread because it is more durable and unlikely to break. Additionally, waxed threading is less prone to split, which will result in neater stitching.